GOLF: Ex-Lady Highlanders battle at WTGA State Amateur Championship

Published 4:37 am, Thursday, July 23, 2015

WACO — For someone who had zero match play experience prior to this week, Allie Andersen from The Woodlands has shown no signs of backing down at the 94th WTGA State Amateur Championship.

The 14-seeded Andersen, a sophomore at Colorado State, upset third-seeded Kelly McGovern in Wednesday’s Round of 16 by the score of 2&1. McGovern, a TCU junior, is also from The Woodlands and attended high school with Andersen.

Andersen reeled off three straight birdies on Ridgewood Country Club’s front nine to take a commanding 5-up lead at the turn. The experienced McGovern, runner-up last year at the 93rd WTGA State Amateur, dug deep and rallied to win the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th holes to get to 1 down.

Andersen didn’t blink. She had mishit a few drivers during McGovern’s rally, but after Andersen straightened one out on the 13th hole she pulled away late for the upset win.

If that performance wasn’t enough, Andersen’s victory against McGovern came a day after she knocked off a Texas Golf Hall of Famer Carolyn Creekmore, 1 up. Anderson had to win four straight holes to outlast Creekmore on the final hole.

Advancing to the Quarterfinals at the state’s oldest and most prestigious women’s amateur tournament is heady stuff. But it’s not like Andersen doesn’t have a nice resume. She spent the past season playing in the No. 1 spot as a freshman for Colorado State.

Not bad for something who only started playing golf five years ago. Andersen, who swam competitively and played lacrosse before starting golf at age 14, said her match play inexperience could be an advantage.

“I’m out there not really worrying about what my opponent is doing,” she said. “I’m just playing my own game.”

It’s worked so far.

“Well, she’s a good player,” said Creekmore, the 2004 U.S. Senior Am champion. “She hits it a mile. Her drives are always in the fairway and they’re way down there. If you’re playing well, not knowing match play doesn’t matter. If you’re playing poorly, then knowing match play is important. There are things about match play that can help you even when you’re playing poorly. But she’s playing really well right now.”

Anderson’s upset victory against McGovern was one of several during Wednesday’s Round of 16. The No. 1 seed and Qualifying Round medalist, Megan Thothong of Dallas, lost in 19 holes to her good friend Kirsten Pike, the No. 17 seed from Ovilla. Fourth-seed Sabina Pena also had an early end to her week when 20th-seeded Megan Woods beat her 1 up on the 18th hole.

Thothong and Pena were two of the favorites to win the 94th WTGA State Amateur; they both recently qualified to play in the 2015 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Portland Golf Club (Aug. 10-16).